SINGLE Track

01 WALK WITH ME, LORD (SOUND l SPIRIT)

WALK WITH ME, LORD (SOUND I SPIRIT)

by The Baylor Project

Jean and Marcus Baylor, the husband-and-wife duo also known as The Baylor Project, have announced their latest single “Walk With Me, Lord (SOUND I SPIRIT),” through their label Be A Light in collaboration with Motown Gospel. During GRAMMY® Week (2024), The Baylors were invited to Apogee Studios to test out a new piece of equipment with an impromptu live performance. After one live take of “Walk with Me, Lord (SOUND I SPIRIT),” a long-standing prayer in the form of a song and a short interview, everyone in the room knew that they had captured something special. As one might expect, Jean’s vocal musings float above the firm footing and foundation of Marcus’ percussive stylings. But, when you realize that the voice and percussion are two of the oldest forms of musical expression known to human beings and when you dig deeper into Marcus and Jean’s journey you realize that this recording was supposed to happen. In Jean’s voice and Marcus’ rhythmic rumination you hear the challenges and pain they have faced and the praise and thanksgiving for the blessings on their journey. This song has been a staple in the African American community for several generations, and is as relevant today as it ever has been, so the duo takes great honor in releasing it in an acknowledgement to and celebration of Black Music Month and Juneteenth. 

“Recording ‘Walk With Me, Lord (SOUND I SPIRIT)’ as a drum and vocal duo was an unexpected blessing that has created a new landscape to expand our sound,” said Jean and Marcus Baylor. “As we consider the historical and cultural implications of this song, and what it has meant to the African American community, we take great pride and joy in sharing our interpretation during such a special time of the year.” 

musicians

Jean Baylor (vocals)
Marcus Baylor (drums)

Tracks

01 Our Love Is Here To Stay
02 Lord Keep Me Day By Day
03 Great Is Thy Faithfulness
04 Call of The Drum
05 Tell Me A Story
06 Tenderly
07 We Swing “The Cypher”
08 Love Makes Me Sing
09 2020
10 Happy To Be With You
11 Only Believe

The EVENING : Live at APPARATUS

by The Baylor Project

The Evening : Live at APPARATUS is a new live album from 4x GRAMMY® nominee and NAACP Image Award Winning duo The Baylor Project. This immersive, soul-stirring set was recorded in front of an engaged live audience at APPARATUS - an interdisciplinary design studio in New York City. For three magical nights, the indomitable couple and their exceptional band graced the stage at MUMS, an ephemeral jazz club created within APPARATUS’ gallery. The Evening : Live at APPARATUS displays the transformative power of performance, in a presentation of both style and substance.

The Baylor Project's outstanding live performances have brought audiences to their feet all over the world. Whether performing at a world-class festival for thousands of concert goers, or for a small attentive audience in a tucked-away club, these married musical partners have been known to put on a show that is both uplifting and transcendent. As the children of pastors, Marcus and Jean saw the sublime, restorative power of music first-hand and this rich life experience comes through in their magnificent live shows, where audience members often leave feeling like family.

Their commanding performance captured the attention of Gabriel Hendifar, the Artistic Director of APPARATUS, whose design practice explores the relationship of lighting, furniture and objects in their environment. Hendifar’s latest collection, titled Act Four, took inspiration from cultural touchpoints of the 1960s and jazz music of the era. He knew he wanted to design a jazz club to celebrate the collection launch during New York Design Week, but he needed the final piece: the musical muse to bring the entire concept together. When Hendifar's team stumbled upon a video of The Baylor Project's vibrant "We Swing" he knew he had met his match.

"We create moments that feel like mirages," says Hendifar, describing the experiences he creates to celebrate the launch of a new collection. "They are here for a moment in time, and then they're gone. We invite you to step into a dream and part of the magic is that it's only going to happen once - the dream disappears." Fortunately, The Evening: Live at APPARATUS preserves a taste of that magical weekend, and invites us all to revel in it.

musicians

Jean Baylor (vocals)
Marcus Baylor (drums)
Terry Brewer (piano, keys)
Yasushi Nakamura (bass)
Keith Loftis (tenor & soprano sax)
Mark Williams (trombone)
Darren Barrett (trumpet)

Tracks

01 Strivin’ feat. Kenny Garrett
02 A Love Story (Interlude)
03 Happy To Be With You
04 Love Makes Me Sing
05 Infant Eyes
06 2020
07 We Swing (The Cypher) feat. Jazzmeia Horn & Dianne Reeves
08 Becoming
09 Black Boy
10 Walk On By
11 Do You Remember This? feat. Sullivan Fortner
12 Only Believe feat. Jamison Ross
13 The Benediction feat. Apostle Larry J. Baylor

GENERATIONS

GRAMMY®NOMINEE (2022)

by The Baylor Project

Generations is the highly-anticipated new album by 4X GRAMMY®-nominated duo The Baylor Project. Set for release during Black Music Month and on the eve of Juneteenth, this soulful sonic story quilt celebrates the universality of the human condition, viewed through the lens of the Black experience. Married musical partners Marcus and Jean Baylor welcome listeners to their proverbial kitchen table, as they pass on stories of family and faith, and love and legacy over the course of nine original compositions, and two covers.

Storytelling has always been central to the Baylor Project’s creative output, and they have shown a particular adeptness at making their personal stories universally felt. They accomplish this and then some on Generations, which shares poignant stories of the Black experience, influenced by their own unique perspective.

The Baylor Project notably rose to prominence in 2017 when they released their debut album The Journey. A smashing international success, it debuted at #1 and #8 on the iTunes and Billboard Jazz charts respectively, garnered world-wide acclaim from top-tier media, and went on to receive two GRAMMY® nominations (for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance for their song “Laugh And Move On”). “The Journey was an introduction to the Baylor Project and established that foundation of our sound,” explains Marcus and Jean. “Generations is an extension of that sound and goes way deeper into our story, life and culture.”

musicians

PRINCIPALS
Jean Baylor – vocals , background vocals 1–13 claps

Keith Loftis – tenor sax (1,3,5,6,7,9,11), soprano sax (4)

Marcus Baylor –drums 1-13, percussion, claps

Keys

Shedrick Mitchell – piano (4,5,8,9,10,12), organ (1,3,5,6,10,13),

wurlitzer (1,10) Arranger (6,8,10)

Terry Brewer– piano (2,3,6), organ (2)

Bass

Dezron Douglas – upright bass (1,3,4,5,7,9,11)

Ben Williams – upright bass) (6,8)

D.J. Ginyard – (electric bass) (10)

Richie Goods (upright bass) (12)

Guitar

Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman – lap steel guitar (3,10,12), guitar (10)

Marvin Sewell – guitar (3,5,6,8,10,12), slide guitar (6,9), acoustic (10)

Percussion

Pablo Batista – (1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,12)

Aaron Draper – (3)

Vocals

Stephanie Alvarenga –Vocal Contractor (6,10,13),

Arranger (6,13) background vocals, stomps (6,10,13)

Linny Smith – background vocals, stomps (6,10,13)

Sheherazade Holman – background vocals, stomps (6,10,13)

Pastor Paul James – background vocals (6)

Tracks

01 Block Party
02 Great Is Thy Faithfulness
03 Tell Me a Story
04 Tenderly
05 Our Love Is Here To Stay
06 Again
07 Summertime
08 Voice of The Drum (Interlude)
09 Afro Blue (Dream)
10 Laugh and Move On
11 Journey

THE JOURNEY

2X GRAMMY® Nominated (2017)

by The Baylor Project

"The Journey" - Steeped in the heart and soul of jazz, Marcus and Jean Baylor’s highly anticipated collaboration showcases the grace and glory, versatility and virtuosity of a truly extraordinary musical union. With “The Journey,” The Baylor Project delivers a dynamic collection of original compositions, newly arranged standards and reimagined hymns that captivate audiences and packed houses alike. As the children of Pastors, Marcus and Jean's musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul, and jazz to make it’s mark. “We want to inspire, foster hope and ultimately, bridge the gap between generations in our culture,” says Marcus and Jean. The Baylor Project does just that. "The Journey” pays homage to their wide-ranging musical influences, and in so doing; they generate an eclectic sound whose overall effect is spiritual, buoyant, and feel good music. "The Baylor Project"

MUSICIANS

Jean Baylor
All vocals, handclaps

Marcus Baylor
All drums, handclaps

Shedrick Mitchell
Piano (1, 2, 3, 10)

Allyn Johnson
Piano (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)

David “DJ” Ginyard
Electric bass (1, 2)

Chris Smith
Upright bass (3, 10)

Dezron Douglas
Upright bass (4, 6, 7, 8, 9,)

Corcoran Holt
Upright bass (5)

Marvin Sewell
Guitar (3, 6, 7, 8, 9)

Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman
Pedal steel guitar, electric guitar (1, 10)

Bob Mintzer
Tenor saxophone (2)

Keith Loftis
Tenor saxophone (4, 5, 6, 8, 9)

Freddie Hendrix
Trumpet, flugelhorn (1, 3)

Keyon Harrold
Trumpet (6)

Stafford Hunter
Trombone (6)

Aaron Draper
Percussion, handclaps (1)

Pablo Batista
Percussion, handclaps (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)

Nicole Neely
Live strings & arrangement (6)

Brandee Younger
Harp (7)

“Download Mp3”

Sit ON Down

GRAMMY® Nominated (2020)

by The Baylor Project

The Baylor Project, which features vocalist ​Jean Baylor ​and drummer ​Marcus Baylor, conceived​, ​composed and recorded “Sit On Down” during the first COVID-19 lockdown, making it a song perfectly suited for our time. Originally, #SitOnDown was a viral challenge, started by the married duo at home. Known for their fly-on-the-wall, humorous live videos on Facebook, Marcus and Jean went ​live​ with their many fans one evening while making a dinner, and humorously implored their viewers in song to just stay home and #SitOnDown. Not long after, fans, friends and colleagues from all over the world started sharing their own versions of #SitOnDown, which inspired the Baylors to cut the track. One of the challenges in particular that stood out came from a friend and fellow musician/producer,​ Ondre J. Pivec​, quaratined in Prague during a tour with ​Gregory Porter​. With Pivec on board as co-producer, The Baylor Project added ​Rayford “Ray Ray Holloman (​ Robert Randolph) on guitar and Wayne Moore ​(Beck) on bass. They recorded “Sit On Down” in their home studio, and even completed a remote photo shoot with their iPhone in true quarantine-format. Proceeds from the first round of sales and related merchandise were donated to​ Jazz Bridge​, a Philadelphia based non-profit organization that supports jazz and blues musicians during times of crisis.